Sofyan Amrabat waxed lyrical over one of his former Manchester United teammates who impressed him most during his one season at Old Trafford.
After switching from Fiorentina to Manchester United on a temporary deal, Sofyan Amrabat made 30 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions.
Erik ten Hag brought Amrabat to the club, having worked with the Morocco international during his time in charge of Eredivisie side FC Utrecht.
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Sadly, the 2023/24 season is not one many United fans will look back on fondly, apart from the fact that Ten Hag’s side beat Man City in the FA Cup final. The Red Devils also finished eighth in the Premier League.
At that time, the pressure was on Ten Hag, even though he’d been given a one-year contract extension – but it was clear Ineos had their own ideas that wouldn’t include players like Amrabat.
Football director Jason Wilcox has spearheaded pursuits for younger players in the transfer market, but United did not sign a midfielder in the summer transfer window. That will likely be on the agenda in 2026 as Amorim persists with a midfield pivot of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.
Bruno Fernandes and Sofyan Amrabat warming up against Bayern Munich in the Champions League
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Sofyan Amrabat enjoyed playing with Bruno Fernandes
Although United finished the season in eighth, and it will forever go down as a poor league campaign, Amrabat did come away from the club with an FA Cup winners’ medal.
United paid £8.7 million as an initial loan fee for Amrabat, before passing on the opportunity to sign him permanently at the end of the season.
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Amrabat has since played for Fenerbahce, first on loan then permanently, before signing for Real Betis on loan this summer. He is now reunited with former United winger Antony, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the La Liga outfit before joining them on a permanent deal.
During his time at Old Trafford, Amrabat got to experience life at a top club, playing with some great players like Fernandes. That is what the Moroccan international stresses in a recent interview on the YouTube show Bij Andy in de Auto, as relayed by Feyenoord Pings.
“It was really quite something,” Amrabat said. “United is still a truly massive club in every way.
“He’s a truly great player, truly top-notch. Is he my best teammate ever? I’ve played with a lot of good players, and I don’t want to discredit anyone, but he was truly fantastic. He was also a good guy, very helpful, and a real winner.”
Fernandes has been asked to play in a deeper midfield role this season, which has hampered his attacking output in terms of goals. His two penalty misses earlier this season didn’t help, but he remains a key member of Amorim’s team.
What Erik ten Hag said when Man Utd signed Sofyan Amrabat on loan
Ten Hag said he was “very pleased” when United secured the deal to sign Amrabat on loan in 2023.
Aged 27 at the time, Amrabat was a player who had been linked with a move to Old Trafford for years, but now he was arriving with more experience under his belt.
His highlight came in the FA Cup final win over City, as it brought his best performance in a red shirt.
Speaking after Amrabat signed for United, Ten Hag told club media: “It was already, from the start of the season, one of my wishes to get another [number] six, a holding midfielder, in the squad because through the season you need that depth there.
“In that position we only had Casemiro who can play really well there. With others we have to make compromises but, with Sofryan Amrabat, we have another one.
“Also he can play alongside Casemiro because he can also play a little bit higher on the pitch. So it’s very good to have him and I think he fits very good to Premier League football, to Champions League football. I think the demands are strong.
“He is very dynamic, he’s very good in the duels. So we are pleased that we have him at United and I think he will contribute to our high targets we set.”